Cape Girardeau police officer running for Scott County Sheriff

“I’m just looking forward to getting back to serving Scott County as a whole community,” said Juden.

Juden announced his candidacy for Scott County Sheriff on September 19. He has several plans on how to change how the sheriff’s department is ran, including having more deputies active in the community.

“I don’t plan to be sitting behind a desk as a sheriff,” he said. “I plan to be out in the community serving as I should, as I’m going to ask my people to do.”

He goes on to address that with less people behind desks, moving the sheriff’s office to above the Scott County Jail would be acceptable.

“As long as we have enough space to work in, and I have fully seen the upstairs of that jail, and fully know the actual square footage of it and I don’t see any issue of why we can’t fit our office personnel up there,” he said.

Juden added that there is a need for more resource officers within the school systems in Scott County.

“When you’re arrested, you’re told that if you cannot afford an attorney the state will appoint you one,” he said. “We should take that same with our schools, if the school cannot afford a school resource officer, they should still be given one.”

Juden has several initiatives he would like to take if elected sheriff and his supporters are excited for them.

Dee Cookson is one of Juden’s supporters. She says Juden gives his all to get a job done.

“Just like any county, improvements are needed,” said Cookson. “Hunter has a lot of ideas, he’s very energetic, the job of sheriff takes a lot of energy, which Hunter has. He doesn’t give a 110%, he gives 150% to everything he does.”

Juden says one of his plans is to also add more attention to keeping tabs on the sex offender registries in the county.